Oathtaker | Chapter 12 - May the Moon forever watch over us

  Mark can hear a faint sound of combat from the distance, likely from Andres’ side as he and the General stood there both in the same combat stance associated with Imperial Knights in the form of an Overhead Guard by holding their sword right above their head. The Soldiers around them began to surround Mark so any attempt in making a run for it would no doubt end in him being killed by them.

  ‘I can’t die here.’ Mark thought to himself as he carefully watched, he could tell from the way he carried himself that he was no doubt someone who has had his share of fighting. Someone that should not be taken lightly, even if Mark has had years of combat experience fighting the other traitors and other Chimeras then deep down he knows this person is a step–no–he is leagues above him in terms of skillset and he also knows this with how confident he carries himself.

  With a step and an overhead swing, both of their swords clashed as sparks appeared on both blades but he was stronger, larger and more experienced so naturally this pushed Mark back as he looked at the Commander with a glare. The Commander on the other hand appears to be impressed as he assumes the same pose once more and the message was clear as day.

  He was testing him.

  Whatever that test was however was something he wasn't sure just yet, all that he knows is that in the Commander’s eyes he is someone of value.

  Those went inside Mark's head as he assumed the same pose as before and prepared to face the Commander once more as he took a deep breath trying to calm his heart as it was already racing from the adrenaline from before. It was clear the Commander intends to wait it out until Mark gets impatient leading him to make a fatal mistake.

  But one thing Mark prides himself on is his swordsmanship. Having been trained by Himmelstadt himself and his mother, herself being a skilled Commander in the Imperial Army, Mark was confident in his swordsmanship in duels and the only reason he would be beaten by someone else is simply because they have more experience than he has.

  Both of them struck at the same time as their blades crossed once more but Mark quickly gripped the blade with his left hand and held the hilt in a reverse grip as he swung the hilt at the Commander's head with the pommel serving as a blunt weapon which was enough to throw him off guard as he stumbled back a bit.

  Realizing what was happening, the Commander decided to go on the offensive as he continued but he was faster as now Mark was actively blocking his strikes all the while gripping his sword harder making sure that the Commander doesn't send his sword flying while trying to find ways to counter it with the best of his ability until finally the two locked blades until finally Mark decided to punch the commander by the helmet which admittedly took him by surprise as he took a step back.

  The impact however caused a notable crack on the blade, taking Mark by surprise as this was Imperial Steel the only way for someone or something to damage Imperial Steel was something far superior than that.

  “Solarite is durable, sure but from what I can see that metal is a big fish in a little pond when pitted against Lunarite, I'm afraid.” The Commander said as he waved his sword a bit as Mark glanced at it as though upon cue the Sword glowed a faint bluish green.

  ‘Solarite? They stopped calling that centuries ago.’ Mark thought to himself as he gripped his Imperial Steel sword as he assumed the same stance while the Commander prepared as well and in a split second both of them swung at the same time but due to the strength of their swing alongside the already damaged state of his Imperial Steel sword versus the strength and speed of the Commander caused the sword to snap in two but Mark knew this would happen so with his right hand he quickly grabbed one half of the sword and as some makeshift dagger and drove it at the Commander, who was rightfully surprised as he would find the sword impaled on his shoulder while Mark used the other half with the hilt in his other hand in an attempt to decapitate the commander–

  A wave of pale blue light flashed before his eyes as he felt this cold numbing pain sensation as though he was being frozen by some energy that sent Mark flying with a painful Thud! while being surrounded by a few more of his soldiers who now aim their weapons at him while his uniform was somewhat smoking with a few holes in it.

  “You fight well young man, that much I can praise you for that.” The Commander said walking towards him as he looked at him taking off his helmet. Mark gave him a rather confused look as he resembled that of Ioshua, Mark’s biological father with the same silver hair and face structure but the difference was the eyes.

  Instead of Steel blue there was reddish gold, almost as if Ioshua was possessed by something.

  “Where did you learn how to fight like an Orthrossian Mirmidon?” He asked him to gesture at the Soldiers who lowered their weapons. “It’s clear not only you learn to fight, but also somehow master an already dying craft of combat.”

  “An Old Soldier taught me that,” Mark said contemplating on using his chains but there’s a possible chance he’ll get exposed or something else entirely.

  “The Soldier must be a skilled one to train a young man who could rival me, admittedly I’m still rusty.” The Commander chuckled as he offered his hand to Mark. “My name is Max, why not walk with me for a moment. Perhaps I can make you reconsider your stance.”

  Deciding to take his offer, Mark was escorted back to the Outpost in chains and upon entering was greeted with a horrific sight as lining up to the road all the way to the outpost were several Crosses and each and every one of them contained the Trainees of the Outpost all crucified to those crosses, he recognized some of them back in the College and while not close friends with them he wasn’t cold enough not feel a sense of grief at their deaths.

  “This is what happens when you go against the True Vestigean Empire,” Max told him as he leaned on one of the crosses while the other soldiers appeared to be uncaring as they walked about like it was part of the scenery. Mark felt sick seeing those crucified trainees, he has had his share of witnessing death early on after spending time with the Eastern Imperial Army and he still can’t bring himself to get used to the sight and it was clear that it was not a quick end for all of them involved.

  “True Vestigean Empire?” Mark asked, turning to Max who simply smiled as he pointed behind him to show one of the banners flying above. It had the emblem of an Owl in mid-flight in a black and pale blue color instead of the Black and Gold Eagle of the Noxsolis, once more it had the words ‘May the Moon forever watch over us’ in Imperial was stitched up on the banner as well.

  “The true empire that should have ruled the world, not the pretender that was the Noxsolis Empire.” Max said, looking at it proudly. “And standing at the helm is the second coming of the True Emperor of this world.”

  “Which is?” Mark asked, raising an eyebrow at him realizing this was the best and only way he could get information about the leadership.

  “Me,” He said with a confident smile as he pointed a thumb at himself. “I, Maxentius Luxlunae Orthros, will forge a new world from this old even if it means killing those who stand in my way.”

  “It's no easy task though and you have to deal with the Ghost of the Noxsolis Empire.” Mark explained as the two made their way to a makeshift tent with Max lounging in a chair provided while Mark kept standing.

  “You mean the fools who cling to the corpse of its empire?” Max asked confidently in an almost condescending tone. “Or the sycophants who used their own daughters to seduce their way up the Imperial ladder?”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The last remark caused Mark to frown, he was right but it's also worth noting that Ioshua genuinely loved his step mothers when he could have denied any relationship with them after having his way with them.

  Why else would he have not acknowledged him and his sisters as his heirs when he could have just let his older brother, his only son through his legal wife, be his sole heir?

  Why else would he not make the effort to know he and his half siblings love each other in spite of the fact that of the four of them, three are out of wedlock?

  Why else would Mark go through all this just to find the three to restore some normalcy to it?

  And then there's Cromwell's remnants, they were the uncles and aunts that he and his siblings never had but needed. When their parents were doing politics, it was Cromwell and his officers who doted and helped them understand the weight of what their father held.

  Cromwell and his Army was as much a family as they were to each other.

  “Doesn't matter who they were, as long as there's people who can oppose you then it won't be an easy task.” Mark responded, his voice turning cold perhaps from the bubbling anger he felt at the fact he insulted not just his mothers, but also his honorary extended family. “They will stop you.”

  “My return is inevitable, Wolven one,” He said confidently. “They may try but it is my god given birthright to ensure I rule this world as was promised.”

  “By the Firstborn?” Mark asked. “He's probably using you.”

  “I'm confident that the Firstborn will aid me.” He smiled.

  “How so?”

  “Cause I am the Firstborn.”

  Mark felt his blood chill, he remembers that this man was looking for him and his siblings. If he were to learn that he is speaking to one of them–

  “I never got to ask your name, who are you anyways?” He asked, crossing his arms. “You'd make a fine member of my Royal Guard with your skill.”

  “Gray.” Mark lied hoping he could weasel his way out of it, he's gotten in worse situations in the past so he should be able to figure something out.

  “Gray huh? Well it's a solid name I'll give you that.” Maxentius nodded as he turned to the soldiers. “Throw him to a holding cell, he'll be–”

  Boom!

  The sound of mortar fire echoed as Mark covered his ears as it began to start ringing as everything around them shook with some of them losing balance.

  “Mortars huh? How primitive.” Maxentius muttered as sprinted off the tower alongside several other of the Soldiers to man a defense.

  ‘This will do.’ Mark thought to himself as he swung his chains to the next Soldier and as another was about to ambush him with a swing, he used his chains to wrap itself around the sword and increased the heat via his Gestalt as it melted into a puddle of molten steel.

  Grabbing a sword, he sprinted out and started sprinting his way to the other side only to reveal a massive drop into a river that leads to who knows where. But with no options left Mark jumped into the river as a bullet lodged itself into his

  back on the way down as he fell into the water.

  [The Reluctant Reincarnation]

  It was the first time in a very long time he dreamt, and interestingly it was a faint memory of his childhood.

  Not as Marcus Noxsolis Orthros.

  But as Morishima Makoto.

  He was just six years old, his family had just moved in the town that day because Makoto’s father needed him there for work. Makoto’s mother opposed it but had no choice so they moved there regardless, Makoto himself was upset at the idea of moving away before he could make friends in the town he originally grew up in, though Makoto was too timid to try to make friends then and even in this new town of new faces.

  And for the most part, Makoto just followed the children around as they treated them as a background character at best and forgot he even existed even if he tried to speak up. It didn’t help that many of the children grew up together making it clear they were a tight knit group and he was just an unwanted addition to this already tight knit group.

  And so there he was, sitting by the riverside watching the other children play around.

  “You always sit there! Join us!” A voice of a young girl said as he looked up but before he could recognize he felt his lungs fill with liquid while his vision darkened with a filter of water as he found himself sinking into a darkness below.

  Mark woke up to find himself coughing water from the river that he found himself on as his vision lingered by the riverbank, his body was exhausted from the fighting and his injuries from earlier.

  “Over here!” He heard the distant voice of Xeon as he glanced but saw Neri running towards him with a worried look on her face as she carried a large blanket and was heading this way towards them. For a brief moment, as his vision faded once more as he looked at Xeon, she tried to say something but he couldn’t hear it as everything went dark once more with the last thing he saw was her pinkish red eyes glowing faintly as he felt calm for a moment.

  The next thing that Mark saw once more upon waking up on an unfamiliar ceiling lying on some hospital bed all the while in some form of daze as though he was still trying to process the aftermath of his current situation.

  A second had passed and his eyes widened as his survival instincts kicked in causing him to quickly sit up earning a surprised squeak as he glanced to his side to find Neri who had fallen off her chair.

  “What happened? Where am I?” Mark asked, looking around as Neri stood up and tried to gently raise her arms as though trying to say as if he meant no harm.

  “Neri…sa?” Mark asked as swallowed hard and realized what was happening.

  “We heard of a report of a battle in an outpost that went silent, we had to report to check but on the way we saw you drifting by the river.” Neri explained as she looked at him while a Medic was running to their area. “Do you…remember what happened prior?”

  “Yeah, my squad went to check but then on the way we were ambushed.” Mark explained to her as he tried to stand up and removed the IV on his arm causing Neri to panic. “I saw what they did to the defenders of that outpost, they're dead now and I'd prefer if we reduce the casualties.”

  “In your condition?” Neri asked with a worried look as he looked around and moved his body to see if everything was working.

  “I've been in worse places than before,” Mark said as he stood up and winced as he felt pain shoot up from his body but it was something he could manage. Five years surviving alone gave him a rather impressive pain tolerance. “Who's the commander of your detachment? I need to inform them of this.”

  “That would be me.” The two of them turned to Shizuki leaning on the doorway with a confident smile on her face. “Knowing you, you'd report this to us, no?”

  “It's the Remnants, the same ones we encountered in those mines.” Mark answered, he didn't have time to sugarcoat or use euphemisms. They'll find out anyway what they're up against so he might as well get to the point. “They killed the Trainees on that outpost and crucified them. While they're still there we have to stop them otherwise they'll take–”

  A wave of warmth passed through him as though the sensation alone caused him to calm down for a brief moment. It was a familiar sensation that he remembers in his youth. This alone makes him forget the panic inside him, giving him much better clarity than before.

  “Thank you Miss Petros, your Gestalt truly makes you the ideal Nurse for these situations.” Shizuki smiled as Xeon entered the room but Shizuki's remark earned an eye roll from her.

  “We know and we have received reports, from your outpost no less, about this so we were the nearest and mobilised to assist.” Shizuki said as Mark looked at her with a weary look. “Technically speaking, the battle is still ongoing.”

  “They're different from before.” Mark said, shaking his head. “They've organized, they've likely–will you knock it off I don't need it!”

  Xeon frowned as the glowing of her eyes faded as Mark glared at her, her Gestalt interfering with his line of thinking. Admittedly he knows she has that ability because she has done that to him before as well, but whether Shizuki and the others know is up in the air as this would reveal his history with her.

  “Look, the remnants rallied under their new leader that they keep calling the Firstborn.” Mark told her as he told her everything he knows about Maxentius, how he intends to take over not just the Sentralis continent but the whole world in some attempt to rebuild a new empire from its ashes.

  “And what's your plan for that?” Xeon spoke with her arms crossed. “From what you're saying this Firstborn united the Rebels after they tore the Empire apart, meaning they're an even bigger threat than before, and we're just Scout Ranger trainees with little knowledge.”

  “Trainees that are conscripted to fight them no less.” Neri added in a low voice looking down.

  “Exactly hence why I would like to ask the same question that Miss Petros did. Do you have a plan?” Shizuki asked with a rather serious look on her face.

  “Sneak in behind enemy lines, find the Firstborn, and chop him into pieces.” Mark said confidently with a shrug. “And maybe get myself a drink afterwards.”

  “So a suicide mission?” Shizuki asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “It won’t be if I survive.” Mark argued back walking past her with a glare on his face. “Besides, it's a risk I’m willing to take.”